System for gathering discarded post-consumer carpet, for recycling

ABSTRACT

A carpet disposal system, comprising: a collector collecting carpet, the carpet collecting performed by a collection agent, the collection agent having a unique identifier; an assigner assigning the collection agent unique identifier to the collected carpet; a transporter transporting the uniquely identified carpet to a processing plant; an identifier identifying the collection agent of the uniquely identified carpet at the processing plant; a sorter sorting the uniquely identified carpet; a valuer valuing the sorted carpet; a payer paying the identified collection agent the value of the sorted carpet. The unique identifier may comprise a unique code and/or bar code. The carpet disposal system may have computer means for managing the identification of the collection agent of the uniquely identified carpet at the processing plant, sorting the uniquely identified carpet, valuing the sorted carpet, and paying the identified collection agent the value of the sorted carpet.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/406,857, filed Apr. 4, 2003, which claims the benefit of provisionalApplication No. 60/369,469, filed Apr. 4, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to collecting and gathering usedand discarded post-consumer carpet, for shredding and recycling, so thatthe polymers in discarded carpet (mainly nylon fibers from the tuftingmaterial, and polypropylene from the backing layer) can be usedproductively, rather than being disposed of in landfills.

2. Background Art

A number of efforts have been made to organize and run carpet recyclingoperations in an efficient and profitable manner. None of the priorefforts have succeeded, and most companies that have attempted toundertake this effort have gone bankrupt, or were shut down by a parentcompany, after losing millions of dollars. Although few details of suchfailed efforts have ever been published, many people who have workedwith carpet recycling efforts are familiar with a number of pastfailures, which can be exemplified by the bankruptcy of UnitedRecycling, Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.) in the 1990's, and the decision bythe Honeywell Company to halt the operations of its “Evergreen”recycling operation in Georgia in 2001. Numerous other examples couldalso be named.

At the current time (i.e., prior to the adoption of the system disclosedherein), nearly all companies that are still trying to work with carpetrecycling must simply ignore and disregard the largest category (by far)of all waste carpet that is being disposed of today. This category isusually called “post-consumer carpet” (often abbreviated as PCC), and itincludes any and all carpet that has been installed and actually walkedon, in any type of building or facility (such as a residence, office,retail store, restaurant, etc). Since so many companies that tried tohandle post-consumer carpet went bankrupt and never managed to succeed,most carpet recyclers that are still in business today barely surviveeconomically, and limit their efforts to only a small portion of thecarpet business, which is limited to so-called “post-industrial” waste,which includes materials such as: (i) clean, never-installed rolls ofcarpet which are being discarded because they didn't meet color orquality standards, or because they are surplus inventory that was notexpected to sell; (ii) scrap or waste material that was generated as abyproduct of a manufacturing process, such as when the edges of carpetsare trimmed off when carpet rolls are cut down to 12-foot widths; and,(iii) various other types of scraps, byproducts, or other wastes thatare generated during textile or fiber manufacturing or other handlingoperations.

Although clean and never-used “post-industrial” carpet waste (and otherpost-industrial textile and fiber waste) is created in quantities thatwould seem surprisingly large to most people, the fact is thatpost-consumer carpet (i.e., which has been installed and walked on, andwhich was subsequently removed from a floor) comprises the largestfraction (by far) of carpet that is discarded each year in anyindustrial nation. Since most carpet recyclers refuse to even try tohandle post-consumer carpet, an estimated 5 billion pounds of usedpost-consumer carpet are being buried, every year, in landfills in theU.S. Since a million pounds of discarded carpet will cover roughly 2acres of land, one foot deep, the fact that multiple billions of poundsof carpet are being sent to landfills, every year, poses a major solidwaste problem. The polymer fibers in carpet will not biodegrade forhundreds or even thousands of years; therefore, discarded carpetsegments will just continue to sit in landfills, taking up huge amountsof bulk space.

In addition, even though it won't biodegrade, discarded carpet that getswet quickly becomes an ideal incubator for mold, mildew, and othernoxious microbes that emit foul odors and leachates. That microbialgrowth will attract insects, which in turn will attract vermin, birds,etc.

Numerous people and government agencies have recognized that continuingto send staggeringly large quantities of discarded carpet to landfillsis simply unacceptable, and better alternatives must be developed. Twoimportant recent developments along those lines were recently launchedby a group of companies, carpet industry organizations, and officials atstate and federal environmental protection agencies, who met in Atlanta,Georgia in January 2002 and signed a document called, “A Memorandum ofUnderstanding for Carpet Stewardship.” This document, along with copiesor summaries of various other documents and developments that precededit, are summarized and/or available for downloading at

www.moea.state.mn.us/carpet/index.cfm, on a website run by the MinnesotaOffice of Environmental Assistance (MOEA), which has been one of themost active moving forces behind the drive to recycle carpet, and whichalso has been a major force in the Midwestern Workgroup on CarpetRecycling. The Carpet and Rug Institute, an industry organization thatincludes more than 90% of the carpet industry in the U.S. as itsmembers, also signed and endorsed that Memorandum in January 2002.

The same companies, agencies, and organizations that created and signedthe Memorandum on Carpet Stewardship also created an organization called“Carpet America Recovery Effort” (CARE), which will soon have a website,at

www.carpetrecycle.org. CARE is intended to function as a consortium andcoordinating body; instead of being owned or controlled by any singleparticipant in the field, it will be responsible to all companies andagencies that helped create it, and it will help organize, motivate,coordinate, and publicize efforts to achieve the goals set forth in theMemorandum.

The Memorandum itself merely set forth some general goals, which includetwo major goals with a target date that was set ten years in the future.According to the Memorandum, by the year 2012, the industry should berecycling at least 20 to 25% of all carpet; and, the industry should beusing methods such recycling, reuse, burning in cement kilns, etc., todivert at least 40% of the carpet that would otherwise be sent tolandfills.

However, the Memorandum explicitly stated that none of its goals werebinding or enforceable in any way, and nothing in that Memorandumcreated any legal obligations or rights. It was merely a statement ofgoals, without describing any means or methods for accomplishing thosegoals, and its main target date was a full decade in the future.Accordingly, it offers an overview of the problem, and now it's up topeople and companies working in this field to find some answers.

One problem that has severely hindered and frustrated all efforts torecycle post-consumer carpet over the years has been the difficulty ofsorting and separating discarded carpet segments into types of polymers,such as nylon-6, nylon-6,6, PET, polypropylene, and mixed polymerweaves. Because of certain chemical structures in polymerized strands ofnylon, the two major classes of nylon used in carpet manufacturing arecalled nylon-6, and nylon-6,6; these two types of nylon account forroughly 70% of all carpet being manufactured. Although both namescontain the digit “6”, those two different forms of nylon havesubstantially different chemistry. If mixed together, they cannot bemelted or chemically treated without creating serious problems in theresulting chemical product.

It is not difficult for a manufacturing company or wholesaler to clearlylabel never-used carpet as either nylon-6 or nylon-6,6; however, itwould be very difficult and expensive for a carpet recycling company tomake that same distinction, for each and every one of the thousands ofrolls or piles of used post-consumer carpet that would arrive at a largeand active shredding or processing facility, every week. This is one ofthe main reasons why no companies have yet been able to make asubstantial profit by handling post-consumer carpet, and why nearly allcompanies that are still working with carpet recycling today havesharply restricted limited their activities, and will accept only clean“post-industrial” carpet waste, such as manufacturing scrap, and carpetrolls that were rejected for quality reasons or discarded as unwantedsurplus inventory.

Another problem that has blocked and frustrated efforts to developefficient and economical methods for collecting discarded post-consumercarpet relates to the fact that, in nearly any large city, new carpetsare installed (and old carpets are removed) by numerous small companies.In almost all cases, the same workers who will be installing a newcarpet will also be responsible for removing any old carpets that mustbe removed and discarded. Due to a combination of financial factors thathave major impacts on the net profits of any carpet seller (includingtaxes, liability risks, insurance concerns, employee benefit costs,etc.), nearly all carpet installers work as independent contractors.Very few carpet installing companies have more than 10 employees, andthe large majority of such companies have only one or two trucks. Manyof these companies use immigrant laborers, who often speak little or noEnglish, and many of those workers are not even employees; instead, theyare hired on a day-to-day, as-needed basis, depending on how much workis scheduled for a given day. The typical workday starts by about 7 am,and ends by about 3 or 4 pm, when the loaded truck drops off the load ofold carpet that was removed from a job site, and then drops off theworkers, who have the rest of the afternoon free.

On a typical job, any old and worn carpet that must be removed from thejob site is usually cut into strips, up to about 6 feet wide. Thesestrips are then cut into convenient lengths, and the resulting stripsare rolled up and tied at both ends, most commonly by using cheap twine,duct tape, etc. This creates rolls of discarded carpet which typicallyweigh in the range of about 50 to about 80 pounds. These rolls, whichare often referred to as “cigar rolls”, are light enough and shortenough to allow a single worker to hoist a roll onto one shoulder, andcarry it out to the truck without needing help from another worker. Thismethod of cutting and rolling discarded carpets into rolls less thanabout 6 feet long also reduces the risk that a worker carrying a roll onone shoulder might trip and fall, bang the end of the roll into a lightfixture or door jamb, or scrape and damage the finish on a piece offurniture, wall, or door.

When the truck has been loaded with the worn discarded carpet and isready to leave the job site, the driver will take it to any destinationthat will accept rolls of used and worn carpet. Reputable carpetinstallers usually take these rolls to landfill sites, or to acollection bin or cage which is adjacent to, or run by, the store orwarehouse that sold the carpet they installed that day. However,landfill owners charge money for drop-offs, and the place that sold thecarpet may be out of the way, for an installer who wants to finish upand start enjoying the rest of the afternoon. Inevitably, a substantialamount of post-consumer carpet simply gets dumped, in inappropriate andoften illegal locations.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,699 (Langerak, et al.) discloses a method andapparatus for sorting carpet or similar types of material. The inventionrelates to a method for sorting carpet or similar pieces of material tomaterial type and the like, wherein the method comprises the followingsteps of: placing pieces of carpet on a transport system; disentanglingor separating the pieces of carpet on a transport system; fixing piecesof carpet individually to a guide system; recognizing the type of carpetduring movement along the guide system; and releasing a piece of carpetinto or onto a relevant location determined by the recognition.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,660 (Kip, et al.) discloses a method of identifyingpost consumer or post industrial waste carpet utilizing a hand-heldinfrared spectrometer. Kip describes a method and apparatus for use inthe recycling of post consumer or post industrial waste carpet orPolyamide-6 and/or Polyamide-66 containing non-carpet waste utilizes ahand-held portable device utilizing spectroscopic principles to identifythe material of the waste (carpet). The spectrometer envisioned for thistask includes an infrared radiation source for illuminating the waste(carpet) sample, a selector for selecting a predetermined number ofdiscrete wavelengths and a detection system to detect reflectedradiation within the discrete wavelengths. The selector can be either aplate with a plurality of slots which positionally correspond tolocations in a dispersed light beam according to the predetermineddiscrete wavelengths or a plurality of filters selected to pass thediscrete wavelengths. The selection of the discrete wavelengths caneither take place before the carpet sample is irradiated or can takeplace by selecting the discrete wavelengths from reflected radiation.

European Patent No. EP0372906 (Foster) discloses an article sortingapparatus. A method and apparatus for sorting articles from a series ofbatched collection of articles, so that a tally is kept of how manyarticles of a given type are received from each one of a variety ofsources in a series of batched collections, is disclosed. The methodavoids the task of attaching an identification tag to each article, andincludes the steps of attaching each of the articles in a collectionsequentially to clip means associated with a transporter device,attaching, adjacent to the sequentially suspended collection ofarticles, means indicating, by use of coded data provided thereupon, theorigin or identity of the collection, moving the clip means and thearticles suspended therefrom along the transporter device, viewing eacharticle on the transporter device at a data keying station, and keyingdata to a computer to identify the type of article and its sequentialposition in the collection on the transporter device, forwarding thearticles to a series of switch means and causing selected ones of theswitch means to operate to open a clip means in a computer-controlledsequence determined by the keyed-in identifying data, so that allarticles of any one type are released at a pre-determined position onthe transporter device appropriate to that type.

This overview is not meant to be critical or derogatory; it is simplyintended to help the reader understand why no company trying to recyclepost-consumer carpet has ever succeeded in creating an effective way toorganize dozens or hundreds of independent small-company carpetinstallers, in a large city, into a trained and cooperating network thatwill function in a smoothly coordinated manner, to ensure that worn anddiscarded carpet segments will be properly delivered to a recyclingfacility.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to create a coordinatedsystem that will allow numerous independent contractors that are alreadyworking as carpet installers to deliver post-consumer carpet to arecycling facility in an economical and efficient manner that cangenerate a fair profit for the carpet installers.

Another object of this invention is to disclose a system of interactingmachines and devices that will provide a collection system forpost-consumer carpet, which can be used efficiently and reliably bydozens or hundreds of independent contractors, without requiring thosecontractors to go through extensive training, or deal with cumbersomeand annoying paperwork and administrative chores.

Another object of this invention is to create and provide a collectionsystem for used carpet which meshes smoothly with the existing practicesand customs of most carpet installing contractors, and which will beadapted quickly and efficiently by carpet installers because it offers asimple and practical method for them to reap additional income andprofits from their ongoing operations.

Another object of this invention is to establish and provide a carpetcollection and recycling system that provides a relativelytamper-resistant accounting and payment system that provides carpetinstallers with prompt cash payments for participating in the system.

Another object of this invention is to establish and provide a systemthat allows bar-coded tags or labels to be used to allow rapid andaccurate identification of rolls of used carpet, using computerizedscanners, in a recycling operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system that will allowa carpet recycling company to have numerous small batches of dirtypost-consumer carpet delivered to it, each day or week, by numerouscarpet installer companies, in a manner which allows those rolls to bepassed through scanning and sorting machines that can rapidly sort thebatches into appropriate categories for subsequent handling.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system that will allowrelatively small batches of used and dirty carpet to be delivered to anumber of distributed shipping containers, which can be stored inconvenient parking locations, and which can be closed and locked toprotect the collected carpet from rain, theft, vermin, and otherhazards, and which will allow the shipping containers, when reasonablyfull, to be conveniently hauled away from their parking locations, takento a central recycling plant, and replaced by empty containers at thesame parking locations.

Another object of this invention is to create and provide a carpetrecycling system that can use automated equipment, such as x-raymachines and/or metal detectors, to scan arriving rolls of useddiscarded carpet, to ensure that they do not contain metallic or otherunwanted hard objects which are larger than staples, and which mightdamage the equipment or possibly injure nearby employees, if loaded intoa chopping or shredding machine. In addition, another related object ofthis invention is to provide a semi-automated system that allows rollsof discarded carpet which contain metal debris or other unwanted hardobjects (larger than staples) to be diverted, automatically, into aseparate handling system, which will allow the metallic or otherundesired objects to be removed, and which will then allow the remainingcarpet segments to be returned to the conveyor system, for chopping andshredding.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparentthrough the following summary, drawings, and description of thepreferred embodiments.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a carpet disposal system andmethod, comprising: a collector collecting carpet, the carpet collectingperformed by a collection agent, the collection agent having a uniqueidentifier; an assigner assigning the collection agent unique identifierto the collected carpet; a transporter transporting the uniquelyidentified carpet to a processing plant; an identifier identifying thecollection agent of the uniquely identified carpet at the processingplant; a sorter sorting the uniquely identified carpet; a valuer valuingthe sorted carpet; a payer paying the identified collection agent thevalue of the sorted carpet. The unique identifier may comprise a uniquecode and/or bar code. The carpet disposal system and method may havecomputer means for managing the identification of the collection agentof the uniquely identified carpet at the processing plant, sorting theuniquely identified carpet, valuing the sorted carpet, and paying theidentified collection agent the value of the sorted carpet.

A carpet disposal system having features of the present inventioncomprises: a collector collecting carpet, the carpet collectingperformed by a collection agent, the collection agent having a uniqueidentifier; an assigner assigning the collection agent unique identifierto the collected carpet; a transporter transporting the uniquelyidentified carpet to a processing plant; an identifier identifying thecollection agent of the uniquely identified carpet at the processingplant; a sorter sorting the uniquely identified carpet; a valuer valuingthe sorted carpet; a payer paying the identified collection agent thevalue of the sorted carpet.

A carpet disposal method having features of the present inventioncomprises: collecting carpet, the carpet collecting performed by acollection agent, the collection agent having a unique identifier;assigning the collection agent unique identifier to the collectedcarpet; transporting the uniquely identified carpet to a processingplant; identifying the collection agent of the uniquely identifiedcarpet at the processing plant; sorting the uniquely identified carpet;valuing the sorted carpet; paying the identified collection agent thevalue of the sorted carpet.

A carpet disposal system having features of the present invention alsocomprises: means for collecting carpet, the carpet collection meansperformed by a collection agent, the collection agent having a uniqueidentifier; means for assigning the collection agent unique identifierto the collected carpet; means for transporting the uniquely identifiedcarpet to a processing plant; an identifier adapted to identify thecollection agent of the uniquely identified carpet at the processingplant; means for sorting the uniquely identified carpet; means forvaluing the sorted carpet; means for paying the identified collectionagent the value of the sorted carpet.

A coordinated system of machines and devices is disclosed, forefficiently collecting worn and discarded post-consumer carpet, so itcan be recycled. This system, which will cover a substantialgeographical area such as a large city, county, or other region, isdesigned to be owned and run by a single company or organization, whichwill provide a set of equipment, devices, and procedures that will allowit to interact smoothly and efficiently with dozens or hundreds ofindependent contractors who install new carpets in that city, county, orregion, and who also remove the old carpets from job sites as part ofinstalling new carpet.

Each installer that participates in this system will be given a largenumber of tags or labels, having a bar-coded number which is unique tothat installer, and which can be quickly read by a hand-held scanningdevice, as commonly used in retail stores. A coded tag, adhesivesticker, or other suitable label which identifies the installer companyor person will be tied or otherwise affixed to each segment of carpetthat is being rolled up for disposal, at each job site where thatinstaller works. Discarded carpet rolls will be dropped off, by numerousinstallers, at lockable collection trailers which will be distributed atvarious locations (such as in parking lots of carpet stores andwarehouses) around a city, county, or region. When a collection traileris reasonably full, a diesel tractor will haul it to a receivingfacility, where the carpet batches will be loaded onto a conveyor systemthat will carry them through scanning, sorting, chopping, and shreddingmachines.

Some sorting and shredding facilities also will contain machines tomanufacture shredded carpet fibers into salable products orintermediates, such as needle-punched mats, plywood substitutes,recovered monomers, etc. Other sorting and shredding facilities maysimply gather and bind sorted and shredded carpet fibers into largebales that will be shipped elsewhere for use in manufacturing, burning,or other operations.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of steps of a carpet disposalmethod of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a carpet disposal system of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising a managercomprising a computer;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising a code and acode determiner;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising a reader;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising a bar codeand a reader;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising anassociater;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising anassociater comprising a database;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of another alternate embodiment ofa carpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising anassociater comprising a database;

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising a computercomprising a database;

FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising an unwantedarticle determiner;

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of another alternate embodiment ofa carpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising anunwanted article determiner;

FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of another alternate embodiment ofa carpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising anunwanted article determiner;

FIG. 14 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, comprising a polymer determiner;

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, comprising a scanner and a polymer determiner;

FIG. 16 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of athe present invention, comprising a baler;

FIG. 17 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system of the present invention, comprising a recycler;

FIG. 18 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, comprising a chopper and/or shredder;

FIG. 19 is a schematic representation of another alternate embodiment ofthe present invention, comprising a chopper and/or shredder;

FIG. 20 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, comprising a processor;

FIG. 21 is a schematic representation of another alternate embodiment ofthe present invention, comprising a processor;

FIG. 22 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, comprising a storer; and

FIG. 23 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention comprising a shipper.

DESCRIPTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 1-23 of the drawings. Identical elements in thevarious figures are identified with the same reference numbers.

As briefly summarized above, this system comprises a coordinated set ofmachines and other physical devices, which can be used to establish andrun an efficient and economic system for collecting and processing wornand discarded post-consumer carpet, to enable recycling and otherappropriate use of the polymeric fibers in the discarded post-consumercarpet.

A complete system, which will cover a substantial geographical area suchas a large city, county, or other region, is designed to be run by asingle company or organization, which will allow that company tointeract efficiently with dozens or hundreds of independent contractorswho work in that area.

Most commonly, these independent contractors will be the same people orcompanies that install new carpets in homes, offices, stores, and otherbuildings in the area, since these contractors typically also remove theold carpet from a job site, as part of the job of installing new carpet.However, any other type of contractor (such as a demolition contractor)or other operator (such as employees who work for a carpet retailing orwholesaling operation) can also join into this same type of cooperatingnetwork, on the same general basis.

Each contractor that participates in this system will be given a largenumber of tags or labels, each one having a bar-coded number which isunique to that company (or person), and which can be quickly read by ahand-held scanning device, as commonly used in retail stores. A codedtag or label which identifies that contractor's assigned number will betied or otherwise affixed to each segment of old carpet that is beingrolled up for disposal, at each job site where that installer works.Discarded carpet rolls will be dropped off, by numerous contractors, atlockable collection trailers which will be distributed at variouslocations (such as in parking lots of carpet stores and warehouses)around a city, county, or region.

It is anticipated that each contractor which participates in this systemwill need some form of relatively brief training or orientation. Thispresumably will take no longer than an hour, and can be carried out onan inexpensive and repetitive basis by means of a videotape.

In general, all delivery rules that will be adopted and enforced by thissystem will be designed to align closely with the normal practices thatare already used by carpet installers, so that training requirements andexpenses, and the frequency of mistakes or other noncompliance, will beminimal. As examples, the rules might require that any roll of carpetdeposited into a collection trailer must be rolled up, tied by cheaptwine, in rolls that are no heavier than 90 pounds and not more than 7feet long. These requirements probably would already be met by at least95% of all post-consumer carpet rolls being discarded today.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of steps of a carpet disposalmethod (10) of the present invention, comprising: a) collecting carpet(11), the carpet collecting performed by a collection agent, thecollection agent having a unique identifier; b) assigning the collectionagent unique identifier to the collected carpet (12); c) transportingthe uniquely identified carpet to a processing plant (13); d)identifying the collection agent of the uniquely identified carpet atthe processing plant (14); e) sorting the uniquely identified carpet(15); f) valuing the sorted carpet (16); g) paying the identifiedcollection agent the value of the sorted carpet (17).

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a carpet disposal system (20),comprising: a) a carpet collector (22) that collects carpet (24), thecarpet collection performed by a collection agent (26), the collectionagent (26) having a unique identifier (28); b) an assigner (30) thatassigns the collection agent unique identifier (28) to the collectedcarpet (32); c) a transporter (34) that transports the uniquelyidentified carpet (36) to a processing plant (38); d) an identifier (40)that identifies the collection agent (26) of the uniquely identified(transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant (38); e) a sorter (44)that sorts the uniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet(46); f) a valuer (48) that values the sorted carpet (50); g) a payer(52) that pays the identified collection agent (26) the value (54) ofthe sorted carpet (50). The valued carpet (56) and the paid value (58)of the sorted carpet (50) are also shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (60), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system (60)further comprises a manager (62) comprising a computer (64) thatmanages: the identifier (40) that identifies the collection agent (26)of the uniquely identified (transported) carpet (42) at the processingplant (38); the sorter (44) that sorts the uniquely identified(collection agent identified) carpet (46); the valuer (48) that valuesthe sorted carpet (50); the payer (52) that pays the identifiedcollection agent (26) the value (54) of the sorted carpet (50).

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (70), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the unique identifier (28) ofthe carpet disposal system (70) comprises a code (72), and theidentifier (40) that identifies the collection agent (26) of theuniquely identified (transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant(38) of the carpet disposal system (70) comprises a code determiner (74)that determines the uniquely identified carpet code (72).

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (80), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (70), except that the identifier (40) thatidentifies the collection agent (26) of the uniquely identified(transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant (38) comprises areader (82) that identifies the uniquely identified carpet code (72).

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (90), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the unique identifier (28) ofthe carpet disposal system (90) comprises a bar code (92), and theidentifier (40) that identifies the collection agent (26) of theuniquely identified (transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant(38) of the carpet disposal system (90) comprises a reader (94) thatidentifies the uniquely identified carpet bar code (92).

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (100), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the identifier (40) thatidentifies the collection agent (26) of the uniquely identified(transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant (38) of the carpetdisposal system (100) comprises an associater (102) that associates theuniquely identified (transported) carpet (42) with the identifiedcollection agent (26).

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (110), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the identifier (40) thatidentifies the collection agent (26) of the uniquely identified(transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant (38) of the carpetdisposal system (110) comprises: an associater (112) comprising adatabase (114), that associates the uniquely identified (transported)carpet (42) with the identified collection agent (26), that determinesthe identity of the collection agent (26) having the unique identifier(28) assigned to the uniquely identified (transported) carpet (42).

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (120), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (90), except that the identifier (40) thatidentifies the collection agent (26) of the uniquely identified(transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant (38) of the carpetdisposal system (120) comprises: the associater (112) comprising thedatabase (114), that associates the uniquely identified (transported)carpet bar code (92) with the collection agent (26), that determines theidentity of the collection agent.(26) having the bar code (92) assignedto the uniquely identified (transported) carpet (42).

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (130), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (90), except that the identifier (40) thatidentifies the collection agent (26) of the uniquely identified(transported) carpet (42) at the processing plant (38) of the carpetdisposal system (130) comprises: a computer (132) comprising a database(134), that associates the uniquely identified (transported) carpet barcode (92) with the collection agent (26), that determines the identityof the collection agent (26) having the bar code (92) assigned to theuniquely identified (transported) carpet (42).

FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (140), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the sorter (44) that sorts theuniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) of thecarpet disposal system (140) further comprises an unwanted articledeterminer (142) that determines if the uniquely identified (collectionagent identified) carpet (46) comprises an unwanted article, and if theuniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprisesthe unwanted article the sorter (44) sorts the uniquely identified(collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprising the unwantedarticle into a group of at least one other carpet (144) also comprisingthe unwanted article.

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (150), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (140), except that the unwanted article comprisesa metal (152).

FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (160), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the sorter (44) that sorts theuniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) of thecarpet disposal system (160) further comprises a scanner (162) and theunwanted article determiner (142) that determines if the uniquelyidentified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprises anunwanted article, and if the uniquely identified (collection agentidentified) carpet (46) comprises the unwanted article the sorter (44)sorts the uniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46)comprising the unwanted article into the group of at least one othercarpet (144) also comprising the unwanted article.

FIG. 14 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (170), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the sorter (44) that sorts theuniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) of thecarpet disposal system (140) further comprises a polymer determiner(172) that determines if the uniquely identified (collection agentidentified) carpet (46) comprises a selected polymer, and if theuniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprisesthe selected polymer the sorter (44) sorts the uniquely identified(collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprising the selectedpolymer into a group of at least one other carpet (174) also comprisingthe selected polymer.

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (180), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the sorter (44) that sorts theuniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) of thecarpet disposal system (180) further comprises a scanner (182) and thepolymer determiner (172) that determines if the uniquely identified(collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprises a selected polymer,and if the uniquely identified (collection agent identified) carpet (46)comprises the selected polymer the sorter (44) sorts the uniquelyidentified (collection agent identified) carpet (46) comprising theselected polymer into a group of at least one other carpet (174) alsocomprising the selected polymer.

FIG. 16 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (190), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(190) further comprises a baler and/or packer (192) that bales and/orpacks the sorted carpet (50). The baled and/or packed and valued carpet(194) is also shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 17 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (200), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(200) further comprises a recycler (202) that recycles the sorted carpet(50). The recycled and valued carpet (204) is also shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 18 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (210), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(210) further comprises a chopper and/or shredder (212) that chopsand/or shreds the sorted carpet (50). The chopped and/or shredded andvalued carpet (194) is also shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (220), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(220) further comprises a chopper and/or shredder (222) that chopsand/or shreds the sorted carpet (50) into a coarse mixture. The choppedand/or shredded coarse mixture and valued carpet (224) is also shown inFIG. 19.

FIG. 20 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (230), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(230) further comprises a processor (232) that processes the sortedcarpet (50) into a product (234).

FIG. 21 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (240), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (230), except that the product (234) is from thegroup (242) consisting of: needle-punched fiber mat, sheet material,fiber, nylon fiber, or pelletized material.

FIG. 22 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (250), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(250) further comprises: a transporter (252) that transports theuniquely identified carpet (36) to an intermediate location (254); and astorer (256) that stores the uniquely identified (transported) carpet(258) at the intermediate location (254); the transportation and thestorage at the intermediate location (254) being performed prior to thetransportation to the processing plant (38). The stored carpet (260) atthe intermediate location (254) is also shown in FIG. 22.

FIG. 23 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of acarpet disposal system (270), which is substantially the same as thecarpet disposal system (20), except that the carpet disposal system(270) further comprises a shipper (272) that ships the sorted carpet(50) from the processing plant (38) to an alternate location (274). Theshipped and valued carpet (276) is also shown in FIG. 23.

Trailer Boxes for Local Collections

A preferred type of collection box will be the type of standardclosed-box trailers that are used by the thousands for hauling freighton highways. A typical trailer box of this type is 53 feet long, and haseight wheels on two axles in the rear. A standard towing coupler in thefront allows the trailer box to be coupled. (“hitched”) securely to aconventional diesel tractor, for towing, thereby forming the standard“18-wheeler” tractor-trailer combination. Trailer boxes of this sort aredesigned and built to withstand rain and other adverse weather withoutrusting or other substantial deterioration, so an empty trailer box canbe hauled to a parking lot, unhitched from the tractor, and left tostand for weeks or months in the parking lot as it gradually fills withrolls of discarded carpet.

Any such trailer box is conventionally built with a door in the rear,with a latching mechanism to allow the box to be securely locked, toreduce the risk of theft of the cargo. Some trailer boxes of this typealso have side doors and other options, but those options typically willnot be necessary for use as disclosed herein.

When used for carpet collection purposes, these trailer boxes typicallywill be kept locked at all times except for a daily period on Mondaysthrough Saturdays that will coincide with typical quitting times forcarpet installers; in general, the unlocked span of time for mostlocations should be centered on the time between about 3 pm and about 6pm. If desired, accommodations (such as hinged insertion doors in atrailer wall, nearby dumpsters with lids to keep out rain, locks thatcan be opened by companies that need extra help, etc.) also can beprovided, to allow carpet drop-offs at other hours. Because of the verylow value of dirty and discarded post-consumer carpet to anyone who isnot participating in this system, expensive security measures generallywill not be required.

When a trailer box is reasonably full of discarded carpet, a dieseltractor will be driven to the site and hitched to the trailer. To avoidthe need for a second trip to return an unloaded trailer box back to itsloading spot, a tractor normally will tow out an empty box to acollection location, and leave behind the empty box when it tows awaythe full box.

The tractor will then haul the loaded trailer box to a centralizedreceiving facility. It is anticipated that one receiving facility willbe located in or near most cities or counties, and that large urbanareas may have more than one receiving facility.

Categories of Receiving Facilities

A post-consumer carpet receiving facility as disclosed herein willgenerally fall into one of three categories, depending on how manyoperations are carried out at that facility.

The smallest type of receiving facility is referred to herein as a“scanning and sorting” facility. It will do little more than scanningand sorting rolls of discarded carpet into different treatment groups.The sorted rolls can be baled or packed into shipping containers, fortransport to other locations where subsequent operations can be carriedout. If desired, these types of receiving facilities can chop pre-sortedrolls into segments, or carry out any other desired type of operation,to reduce transportation or other costs. Even this smallest type ofreceiving facility will be able to identify and isolate carpet rollsthat do not have sufficient quality to merit recycling through reuse ofthe fibers. Accordingly, low-quality rolls can be diverted to otherdestinations; as one example, they can be sent to cement kilns, wherethey will be burned as fuel.

The next larger size of receiving facility is referred to herein as a“sorting and shredding” facility. This type of facility will havescanning and sorting capability, and it will also have chopping andshredding machines, which can be used to shred rolls of carpet into acoarse and uncombed mixture referred to herein as “shredded yarn”. Thistype of shredded yarn material can be baled, stuffed into large shippingbags or containers, or otherwise prepared in any suitable manner fortransport to a location that has manufacturing equipment which willprocess the shredded yarn into a completed salable product.

The third category of receiving facility is referred to herein as amanufacturing facility. In addition to having scanning, sorting,chopping, and shredding machines, it also will have (at that samelocation) the types of large machines and equipment that will be used toprocess shredded yarn into salable output products. Examples of salableoutput products include but are not limited to:

-   -   (i) needle-punched fiber mats, which can be used as high-quality        carpet padding beneath newly-laid carpet in high-traffic        locations, such as retail stores and offices;    -   (ii) sheet materials that can function as water-resistant        substitutes for plywood and particle boards, as described in PCT        patent application WO 01/76869;    -   (iii) nylon fibers that are bagged in pre-measured quantities in        water-soluble bags, which can be added to materials such as        concrete that is being mixed, to add reinforcing fibers to the        concrete; and,    -   (iv) pelletized or similar materials that can be used as        feedstock for injection molding or other similar operations.

The eventual number and placement of each of these three categories ofreceiving facilities across a country will be determined by economicsand licensing deals, rather than by technical factors. Clearly, toexpand any receiving facility into a larger facility that can carry outmore operations will require higher up-front investment expenses;however, those initial investments will lead to substantially lowerongoing costs for operations such as baling, transportation unfinishedintermediates to different facilities, etc. Accordingly, the placementof shredding and/or manufacturing machines in some but not all receivingfacilities will be based on financial, geographic, and demographicrather than technical factors, and those matters do not need to beaddressed in this patent application.

Accordingly, it should be understood that this invention relates to themachines and equipment that will be used to collect, scan, and sortpost-consumer carpet. It is not necessary to specify what will be donewith any batch of post-consumer carpet after those steps have beencompleted at a receiving facility; instead, it merely needs to berecognized that various useful recycling options have been developed todate, and other recycling options are continuing to be researched anddeveloped.

In general, the Applicant herein anticipates that a substantial numberof receiving facilities will be distributed across a nation such as theUnited States. It is generally anticipated that when a post-consumercarpet collection operation as described herein approaches maturitythroughout the U.S., there will be some sort of receiving facility in ornear almost all of the roughly 30 to 100 largest cities in the U.S.Presumably, most of these facilities will be located near the outskirtsof a city, or in a blighted and economically depressed urban area.Several dozen more receiving facilities are likely to be scatteredacross the country, to serve large rural areas that are not close tolarge cities. All of these will have scanning and sorting capability,and some are also likely to have chopping machines, but no shreddingmachines. Some of these receiving facilities will have shreddingmachines, and some will also have full manufacturing capability.

Unloading, Scanning, and Sorting at a Receiving Facility

At any receiving facility, an unloading dock must be provided in amanner that will simplify and facilitate unloading operations. Thisnormally is done by well-known steps, which include: (i) making surethat 18-wheeler tractor-trailer combinations have enough room tomaneuver and back up properly to the unloading dock; (ii) ensuring thatthe floor of the unloading dock is at the same height as the floors ofstandard trailer boxes, to minimize any lifting requirements; and, (iii)providing an extendible plastic rain shield at the doorway, which can beextended during rain or snow to keep the workers and carpet segments dryduring an unloading operation.

When a loaded trailer box is backed up to the doorway of a loading dock,the discarded rolls of carpet in the truck will be unloaded from thetruck, and loaded onto a large conveyor belt or similar system withinthat receiving facility. This unloading operation can be done using anycombination of manual labor, mechanical devices, and powered equipment.As one example, a forklift can be used to unload carpet segments,especially if pallet-type structures were placed in the trailer boxbefore it was taken to a parking lot to be loading with discarded carpetrolls.

As another example, an extendible railing device which supports atravelling pulley with grappling hooks can be provided at the loadingdock, to provide grappling hooks that can lift hundreds of pounds ofcarpet at a time and carry the carpet out of the trailer box and overthe conveyor system; to provide greater stability, this type ofrail-and-pulley system can use a travelling counterweight that willremain in the loading dock, or it can use any suitable type of endattachment that can be affixed to a hanging cable or chain, supportbracket, or similar device that has been welded or bolted into thetrailer box near its front end.

As a third example, a movable platform or conveyor belt can be installedin the floor of a trailer box. During an unloading operation, this typeof platform or conveyor can be driven by a hand-powered winch, anelectric motor, a gearing or hydraulic device, or any other suitableunit that will cause the platform or conveyor to move the load of carpetout the door of the trailer box and onto a conveyor or other handlingsystem.

As yet another example, a power-driven scaffolding jack can be installedin the front of the trailer box. When a gear drive, hydraulic hose, orsimilar powering system (provided by the loading dock) is coupled to thedevice, the scaffold will begin extending, causing it to push all of thecarpet rolls in the trailer box toward and out of the open rear door ofthe trailer box. As the carpet rolls are shoved out of the trailer box,they will be pushed onto a large work table or conveyor system, whereworkers will move or adjust them as necessary to make sure they areresting properly on a conveyor system that will carry them past thescanning equipment.

As still another example, the loading dock can be provided with atelescoping or other movable conveyor system. This type of system canallow the end of the conveyor to be gradually inserted deeper into thetrailer box as the box is unloaded. This will allow workers to push andshove carpet rolls onto the tip of the conveyor, which will generallyremain alongside them as they unload the box and work their way towardits front end.

Once the carpet rolls have been distributed onto the conveyor system,the bar-coded tags will be scanned and recorded on a computer,preferably in conjunction with a device that will weigh the carpet rolls(or clusters of rolls).

Each roll then also be passed through or in front of a scanning device,such as an x-ray machine and/or metal detector, to ensure that it doesnot contain metallic or other unwanted components which might (i) damageor entangle any machines that will be used to process the carpet rolls,or (ii) lead to defects in the final output product obtained from theoperation. Preferably, an automated or semi-automated rejection systemcan be used in conjunction with the scanning device, to allowpotentially dangerous or problematic rolls to be diverted into aseparate collection or handling system. In this type of “reject bin,”rejected or diverted rolls can be opened, if desired, for inspection andremoval of any metal, debris, or other unwanted material; alternately,they can be loaded into a shipping container that will deliver them to acement kiln, for burning.

If desired, rolls of discarded carpet can also be passed through or infront of any of several types of scanning devices that can be used todistinguish between different types of polymers used in carpet fibers.As examples, certain known types of infra-red scanners and laserscanners can be used to distinguish between carpet rolls containingnylon-6 fibers, and carpet rolls containing nylon-6,6 fibers. Thisdistinction is important, for some but not all types of recycling uses.In general, nylon-6 fibers must be separated from nylon-6,6 fibers formost types of chemical treatment (such as recovery of the caprolactammonomers that form the building blocks of nylon-6); however, fiberseparation generally is not necessary for preparing most types ofneedle-punched fiber mats, or for making adhesive-boundplywood-substitutes.

Computerized Measuring, Recording, and Payment Systems

The total weights of all post-consumer carpet rolls supplied by acertain carpet installer (or other contractor) will be divided intocategories, so that proper payment to that contractor can be calculated.Higher values (applied on a per pound basis) will be paid for carpetthat is in acceptable rolls that can be fed directly into a chopping orshredding machine or other processing operation. Lower values (or insome cases nothing) will be paid for rolls that require specialhandling, or that fall into other less-desirable categories, such asbecause they are heavily stained, dirty, or dusty, or because theycontain substantial numbers of staples or other unwanted components thatmight decrease the value of some types of output products. The lowervalues for these types of rolls can be calculated using any agreed-uponbasis, such as a lower rate per pound, or a standard rate per poundminus a fixed deduction per roll for any roll that requires specialhandling.

All payment calculations will be done by a computerized processingsystem, which will contain memory registers that can temporarily storethe bar code identification number, weight, and quality rating for eachand every roll of post-consumer carpet that passes through the system.That information can be processed by the computer, to generate a“payment due” figure (along with supporting records and accountinformation) for each and every contractor that deposited one or moreused carpet rolls into the collection trailer that was being unloadedduring that operation.

If desired, this type of computer processing can be done by the samecomputer that initially records the data on incoming carpet rolls;alternately, those data can be transferred to any other computer, forprocessing. A computer (or computer network) which calculates thepayments due to each contractor, each month, can be hooked directly to aprinter that will print the actual checks; alternately, any suchcomputer can convey data on carpet rolls to a centralized computer thatwill process data into payment figures and checks, by any suitablemeans, such as periodic data transfers through a “local area network”(LAN) or modem connection, or via floppy disks, recordable CD-ROM's, orany other suitable media.

Additional Comments

In the manner described above, each contractor that deposits rolls ofused post-consumer carpet into any collection trailer that is part ofthe system can be paid a fair and reasonable price, on a regular basis(such as monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, etc.), for all post-consumercarpet rolls which had his/its numbered, bar-coded tags attached to therolls. This will create a powerful profit motive for carpet installers,demolition contractors, and other people and companies that handlediscarded carpet to join this system. It also will create an efficientand economical method for a carpet recycling company to obtain discardedcarpet from all or nearly all carpet installers throughout an entirecity, county, or region.

This system will be adopted more widely and rapidly, if participatingcontractors are assured that it will be run fairly and honestly. Thiscan be accomplished by using various business, accounting, and legalmethods, which are implemented and enforced by a single company that cangrant area franchising and/or other types of interactive licensingrights to local operators. As one possible type of arrangement,franchising contracts can be developed and used for this purpose. Eachfranchising contract will be between a single nationwide company, and acertain franchisee person or company that will obtain, under itsfranchise, exclusive rights to run this system within a definedgeographical area. This will enable the nationwide franchisor company torequire and enforce various standards of service by all franchisees,through a combination of initial licensing requirements, ongoingoperating standards, monitoring and onsite inspections, and authorizeduse of company-owned service marks and trademarks.

In addition, because of the profit potential involved, this systemoffers a feasible and reasonable method for providing “curbside pickup”service. This would allow any owner of a home, condominium, store, etc.,who wishes to discard an old used carpet, to call a local phone number,and arrange for a van or truck to come by and take away that carpet,without any cost to the homeowner. Any agency (such as a charitableagency that is training welfare recipients to work) can apply to therecycling company to be selected as its curbside pickup agency, eitherfor an entire city, county, or region, or for some portion thereof.Since the recycling company can control the phone number which will beused to call in pickup requests, it can exert complete control overwhich agency will be used to do that work. If performance reports areunsatisfactory, it can switch agencies seamlessly, and with nodisruption to the pickup service.

In summary, this network requires a company to acquire (such as bypurchase, leasing, or hiring such services through contract operators,or by securing these services through a network of local franchiseowners) a coordinated system of machines and devices, which will includethe following:

-   -   1. A computer system with a printer and accompanying software        that enable it to print out any desired number of bar-coded tags        or labels, and that can be used to assign a unique identifying        number to each and every carpet installer or other contractor        that agrees to participate in this carpet recycling operation.    -   2. One or more towable trailer boxes which can serve as        collection boxes for discarded carpet rolls, and which can be        hitched to and towed by any conventional diesel-powered highway        tractor, and which can be closed and locked when not attended,        both for security purposes, and to keep the carpet segments dry        when it rains or snows. In a large metropolitan area, a suitable        number of these collection boxes should be placed in appropriate        locations that are distributed around the city, such as in        parking lots that are located near carpet retailers or        warehouses.    -   3. Towing tractors (as conventionally used in typical 18-wheeler        tractor-trailer combinations, and which can be obtained on a        leased or contractor basis) which can be used to tow a loaded        container to a receiving facility for unloading, and which can        then return the empty container back to a desired collection        location.    -   4. A receiving facility which has: (i) a maneuvering area that        allows a driver operating an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rig to        back the rear end of the trailer up to a loading dock; (ii) a        loading dock which is suitable for unloading rolls of discarded        carpet from a loaded trailer box onto a covered work area or a        conveyor system; (iii) a conveyor system which can carry rolls        of discarded post-consumer carpet past one or more scanning        devices; and, (iv) at least one scanning device which can        indicate whether a roll of discarded carpet contains dangerously        large metallic objects, large numbers of staples, or other        unwanted components.

Preferably, the receiving facility should also contain various othermachines and equipment that will enable efficient and low-costoperation. As one example, a well-designed receiving facility preferablyshould also contain an automated sorting system, which will interactwith the conveyor and scanning systems in a manner which allowsautomatic diversion of carpet rolls that do not meet certain qualitystandards into a separate collection area, so that they can be handledin a suitable manner (such as by sending them to cement kilns, forburning) without decreasing the value of higher-quality rolls that arebeing processed and sent to other destinations by the scanning andsorting system in the receiving facility.

In addition, as noted above, at least some receiving facilities alsoshould have chopping and shredding systems, and manufacturing machinesthat can convert shredded carpet fibers into salable output products. Ifthose devices are not present at a certain receiving facility, then thatparticular facility should instead have a packing and/or baling system,for packing carpet segments (or chopped carpet segments, shredded carpetfibers, etc.) into large bales or suitable packing containers, so thatthey can be loaded onto trucks, barges, or railroad cars, so that theycan be transported to another facility for more processing.

Thus, there has been disclosed a new and useful method, system, andcombination of machinery which can be used to allow efficient andeconomical collection of discarded post-consumer carpet, using theservices of numerous independent carpet installers and other contractorswho use this system with minimal effort and expense, and who can beprovided with a profit incentive to ensure good participation in thissystem. Although this invention has been exemplified for purposes ofillustration and description by reference to certain specificembodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications, alterations, and equivalents of the illustratedexamples are possible. Any such changes which derive directly from theteachings herein, and which do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, are deemed to be covered by this invention.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions arepossible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims shouldnot be limited to the description of the preferred versions containedherein.

1. A carpet disposal system, comprising: a) a collector collectingcarpet, said carpet collecting performed by a collection agent, saidcollection agent having a unique identifier; b) an assigner assigningsaid collection agent unique identifier to said collected carpet; c) atransporter transporting said uniquely identified carpet to a processingplant; d) an identifier identifying said collection agent of saiduniquely identified carpet at said processing plant; e) a sorter sortingsaid uniquely identified carpet; f) a valuer valuing said sorted carpet;g) a payer paying said identified collection agent the value of saidsorted carpet.
 2. The carpet disposal system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a computer managing: said identifier; said sorter; saidvaluer; said payer.
 3. The carpet disposal system of claim 1, wherein:said unique identifier comprises a code.
 4. The carpet disposal systemof claim 3, wherein: said identifier comprises a determiner determiningsaid uniquely identified carpet code.
 5. The carpet disposal system ofclaim 4, wherein: said identifier comprises a reader reading saiduniquely identified carpet code.
 6. The carpet disposal system of claim1, wherein: said unique identifier comprises a bar code; and saididentifier comprises a reader reading said uniquely identified carpetbar code.
 7. The carpet disposal system of claim 1, wherein: saididentifier comprises an associater associating said uniquely identifiedcarpet with said identified collection agent.
 8. The carpet disposalsystem of claim 1, wherein: said identifier comprises: an associaterassociating said uniquely identified carpet unique identifier with saidcollection agent, using a database to determine the identity of saidcollection agent having said unique identifier assigned to said uniquelyidentified carpet.
 9. The carpet disposal system of claim 6, wherein:said identifier comprises: an associater associating said uniquelyidentified carpet bar code of said uniquely identified carpet with saidcollection agent, using a database adapted to determine the identity ofsaid collection agent having said uniquely identified carpet bar codeassigned to said uniquely identified carpet.
 10. The carpet disposalsystem of claim 6, wherein: said identifier further comprises: anassociater associating said uniquely identified carpet bar code of saiduniquely identified carpet with said collection agent, using a computercomprising a database adapted to determine the identity of saidcollection agent having said uniquely identified carpet bar codeassigned to said uniquely identified carpet.
 11. The carpet disposalsystem of claim 1, wherein: said sorter further comprises a determinerdetermining if said carpet comprises an unwanted article, and if saidcarpet comprises said unwanted article said sorter sorts said carpetcomprising said unwanted article into a group of at least one othercarpet also comprising said unwanted article.
 12. The carpet disposalsystem of claim 11, wherein: said unwanted article comprises a metal.13. The carpet disposal system of claim 1, wherein: said sorter furthercomprises a scanner scanning said carpet and a determiner determining ifsaid carpet comprises an unwanted article, and if said carpet comprisessaid unwanted article said sorter sorts said carpet comprising saidunwanted article into a group of at least one other carpet alsocomprising said unwanted article.
 14. The carpet disposal system ofclaim 1, wherein: said sorter further comprises a determiner determiningif said carpet comprises a selected polymer, and if said carpetcomprises said selected polymer said sorter sorts said carpet comprisingsaid selected polymer into a group of at least one other carpet alsocomprising said selected polymer.
 15. The carpet disposal system ofclaim 1, wherein: said sorter further comprises a scanner scanning saidcarpet and a determiner determining if said carpet comprises a selectedpolymer, and if said carpet comprises said selected polymer said sortersorts said carpet comprising said selected polymer into a group of atleast one other carpet also comprising said selected polymer.
 16. Thecarpet disposal system of claim 1, further comprising: a baler balingand/or a packer packing said sorted carpet.
 17. The carpet disposalsystem of claim 1, further comprising: a recycler recycling said sortedcarpet.
 18. The carpet disposal system of claim 1, further comprising: achopper chopping and/or a shredder shredding said sorted carpet.
 19. Thecarpet disposal system of claim 1, further comprising: a chopperchopping and/or a shredder shredding said sorted carpet into a coarsemixture.
 20. The carpet disposal system of claim 1, further comprising:a processor processing said sorted carpet into a product.
 21. The carpetdisposal system of claim 20, wherein said product is from the groupconsisting of: needle-punched fiber mat, sheet material, fiber, nylonfiber, and pelletized material.
 22. The carpet disposal system of claim1, further comprising: a transporter transporting said uniquelyidentified carpet to an intermediate location; and a storer storing saiduniquely identified carpet at said intermediate location; saidtransportation and said storage at said intermediate location beingperformed prior to said transportation to said processing plant.
 23. Thecarpet disposal system of claim 1, further comprising: a shippershipping said sorted carpet from said processing plant to an alternatelocation.